Camille Lefèvre

Overview

Camille Lefèvre (1853–1933), French sculptor, who gave Marie her first sculpture lessons in Paris in June 1880 on Julian's recommendation. Pupil of Pierre-Jules Cavelier and Aimé Millet at the École des beaux-arts (from 1872); second Grand Prix de sculpture in 1877 and 1878, but never the first prize (en.wikipedia «Camille Lefèvre»; INHA AGORHA notice 606).

Identity

Marie introduces him herself: «Monsieur Camille Lefèvre, un second prix de Rome, et en train de concourir pour attraper le premier, à moi recommandé par Julian, me donne la première leçon de sculpture» (089.0022, 23 June 1880). The next day she is already modelling a figure over an iron armature, and on «les jours où vient Lefèbvre, nous travaillons de sept heures à dix» (089/1880-06-24). Her lessons with Mlle Marie Delsarte, another early teacher, followed (MARIE_DELSARTE).

The Mon Journal t.13 index files him as «Lefèvre (Camille), peintre : 245, 295»; the lessons show he is a sculptor. He is not the Nice doctor LEFEVRE and not the painter Jules Lefebvre of the Académie Julian (LEFEBVRE), whom Marie also spells «Lefèvre».

References in Diary

• 089.0022 (23 June 1880): the first lesson.
• 089/1880-06-24: the lessons continue («modelage», «ronde-bosse», «carcasse en fer»).